


After Mandalore

by Merfilly



Series: Jedi Asajj [4]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Jedi Apprentice Series - Jude Watson & Dave Wolverton, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Background Relationships, F/M, Friendship, mentioned Satine, mentioned qui-gon - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-23
Updated: 2016-09-23
Packaged: 2018-08-16 21:39:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8118454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: In the aftermath of Satine, Obi-Wan fumbles at comfort with a fellow padawan, but finds it more in the friendship slowly growing with a younger one.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Going with 17 for Obi-Wan, which makes Luminara 18, and Asajj 13 by the timeline I'm fudging with.

Fortunately for Qui-Gon's recovery, and Obi-Wan's worry for him, the mission they had been assigned to was a long-term assignment. While Qui-Gon might have been irritated to be separated from Tahl for so long, he seemed to approach it with philosophical ease. Obi-Wan was curious at that, but their rapport had been strained enough that he never found the right chance to ask.

Then, any questions about Qui-Gon's relationship or his own muddled half-impressions of being more attached to the elder man than acceptable vanished. The assignment turned out to be a highly mobile one, as they were assigned to the heiress of one of Mandalore's most prominent clans, a girl near Obi-Wan's age, and one who wished to bring her people away from destructive warring.

She was as smart as Luminara, as fiery as Siri, stubborn as his own master, beautifully dangerous like Quinlan… and Obi-Wan was all too aware of the fact she hit every single button he had. Her dedication to peace and the will to change the very fabric of her society only heightened this, by pulling in the ghost of Cerasi and her passion to end the war of her people.

An entire year in her company made the fumbling with Siri, the explorations with Quinlan fall by the wayside. The Mandalorians didn't tackle anything by halves, and Qui-Gon proved to either be willing to turn a blind eye or he truly did not notice just what the heiress and padawan did when they shared privacy and safety for more than ten minutes.

Maybe it was the ghost of Cerasi that he felt watching over him, when they finally restored her to her position, safely in the keeping of a government with her interests in mind. Maybe he understood what she'd meant, the final night they shared, about duty being first-most for a Jedi or a Duchess.

He journeyed home with his Master, bitten by the thoughts of might-have-been, and more determined than ever to be a model Jedi, to adhere to the Code as best he could, because a part of his heart stayed in Mandalorian keeping, watched over by a girl made into a woman far too young. It did not help when Qui-Gon seemed to understand the heaviness on him, settling both hands proudly and sympathetically on his shoulders once they were aboard the ship for the final leg of their journey.

* * *

Obi-Wan's resolve lasted all of a month after returning. He still ached to think of the possible future he had stepped away from, but it was one of those nights that Quinlan was in the Temple, and had managed to free themselves up for a liberating party. This was not the first time he and his age mates had done this, all carefully rationalized as 'gathering an immunity to attachments', but it was the first time Luminara had attended one of their parties. 

Siri wasn't in the Temple, and Quinlan was pretty firmly pursuing Shyler, which was how Obi-Wan found himself in the company of the most stringent padawan in the existence of the Jedi Order as she tested her social skills.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, as Luminara was a person who lived by willpower, the slightly older padawan handled it fairly well.

Obi-Wan did not. 

His emotions were wrapped up too tight, and the Force vibes in the air began to untie the knots. Luminara, for all of her perfectionism and drive, responded to the pain she felt, leading to them slipping away to a private nook on her suggestion. The kissing and touching made Obi-Wan forget, just a little, about a blonde pacifist with a will that would defy the stars themselves. When he dozed off in her arms, he didn't even think of that last sight of Satine…

…and on waking, he felt absolutely miserable about taking advantage of Luminara's nurturing senses to escape the way he was feeling. Stammered apologies and misunderstood words had him fleeing, not for his quarters, but out into one of the smaller gardens, one he knew should be empty.

"If you're hiding from Master Jinn, go elsewhere," a raspy voice snarled at him before he could even settle in his favorite spot. Focusing, he saw the pale skin of Asajj, and he had to blink twice at seeing her.

"You had a growth spurt," he blurted out, noticing that she was beginning to actually look feminine. He was then startled more when she hissed at him.

"Thank you, dear, for noticing," she snapped at him. The way her voice curled around 'dear' was anything but the affectionate tone he was used to on that word from certain people. He was fast putting the jumble of his own emotions away, realizing that his friend was very out of sorts and out of kilter with the Force.

"Asajj, I'm not hiding from Master Jinn. I don't think Luminara is actually upset with me. And I can't think of anyone else that might be seeking me. So may I join you?" he asked, pushing himself into the proper mindset to be a friend, if she needed one.

Her eyes were glittering at him, before she decided and slid a little to the side so he could join her without trampling any plants.

"Now, do you want to talk about what's bothering you, or would you rather meditate?"

"You're doing that thing again, and this is the first time I have seen you in over a year. Why are you so driven to be nice to me?!" she demanded. "Are you shining pity on me? Trying to live up to your master's wishes of harmony with his friends?"

Obi-Wan nearly pulled back, astounded by the amount of anger and bitterness in her. What had happened in the year he had been gone? "Asajj, I do not pity you. I am not here because of Master Qui-Gon and Master Ky being friends." He reached both his hands out to her, shifting to face her more. "I want to be your friend, not because of anything you are to others or can do for me or for your past."

"Then why?! Why do you want to be so kind, when every change in me makes the rest of them suspicious and whisper about me?!" Asajj flicked one hand at herself, resisting his reach for her. "I am Dathomiri, and people are figuring that out, because of whispers from the Council itself!"

Dathomiri… as in Dathomir… Obi-Wan searched his memory and recalled the planet was on the forbidden list, as a Force Nexus that was considered to be in the hands of the Dark Side. He knew that would fuel all kinds of rumors, and he knew how cruel even his own crowd was. Darsha and Garen and Quinlan all had fast tempers and no filters on their tongues.

"I don't care if you are a Nikto from a clan dedicated to hunting Jedi," Obi-Wan said, swiftly. "I like your company, sharp edges and all, and wish you as my friend. If you do not wish to believe that… I will give you peace, but know that I will always welcome you for aid, companionship, or just because."

He sat there a long moment, her eyes on his face, studying him, and let himself be open in the Force to her. Slowly, she took his hands, then scooted close enough that their knees were touching, and she leaned in, still holding his hands. He shifted instinctively, and was correct in her intent, as her forehead came to rest on his chest. He put his chin on the top of her head, closing his eyes.

He had been both selfish in how he tackled his emotional upheaval over Satine and ridiculous at the idea of trying to cut himself off from Attachments. All it had taken for him to know that was to see the vulnerability of this girl that he did care for, and feel the way she slowly centered in the Force, all for the simple offer of friendship given in truth to her.

His heart could ache for Satine, but he did not think he needed to be a strict follower of the Code's technicalities. Compassion was the truth of his heart, and he would listen to that.

"Anything you need, Asajj, you may ask of me. Because you are my friend."


End file.
